British Journal of Ophthalmology articles from January 2003

British Journal of Ophthalmology archives from January 2003

Interesting idea -- prove it! Prospective rather than retrospective studies are more likely to be published. (Editorial: Evidence Based Medicine).(Editorial)
January 1, 2003... During the past two decades the essentially anecdotal nature of medical practice has been largely replaced by "evidence based medicine: (1) Evidence based medicine incorporates the most reliable reproducible data from clinical studies,...

The OPA1 gene and optic neuropathy: each genetic discovery will help to solve a small piece of the puzzle of optic nerve death. (Editorial: Optic Neuropathy).
January 1, 2003... The optic nerve head findings in autosomal dominant optic neuropathy (ADOA) are well described in the literature. (1) These patients demonstrate optic nerve head pallor, cupping, peripapillary atrophy, and unusual grey crescents on the...

Weaning children with accommodative esotropia out of spectacles: a pilot study. (Hypothesis).
January 1, 2003... Background/aim: Many children with accommodative esotropia must continue spectacle use throughout life. This study was undertaken to determine which factors are predictive of successfully weaning children with accommodative esotropia out of...

Quality of life with macular degeneration: perceptions of patients, clinicians, and community members. (Value Based Ophthalmology).
January 1, 2003... Background/aims: Age related macular degeneration (ARMD) is a common ophthalmologicol disorder that can significantly impair a patient's ability to function independently and potentially have a dramatic impact on health related quality of...

Janus on the mudflats. (Cover Illustration).(mudskipper eyes)
January 1, 2003... An amphibious fish, Periophthalmus argentilineatus is a mudskipper that spends most of its time on the mudflats of the tropical mangrove swamps of Africa, Asia, and Polynesia. It uses its stiff fins like walking sticks to perambulate with...

Paediatric cataract blindness in the developing world: surgical techniques and intraocular lenses in the new millennium. (World View).
January 1, 2003... Paediatric cataract blindness presents an enormous problem to developing countries in terms of human morbidity, economic loss, and social burden. Managing cataracts in children remains a challenge: treatment is often difficult, tedious, and...

Causes of childhood blindness: results from schools for the blind in south eastern Nigeria. (World View).
January 1, 2003... Aim: This cross sectional study was undertaken to identify the mojar causes of childhood severe visual impairment/blindness (SVI/BL) among students in schools for the blind in south eastern Nigeria with a view to offering treatment to those...

Intraocular pressure after intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide. (Scientific Correspondence).
January 1, 2003... Aim: To investigate the intraocular pressure (IOP) response after intravitreal injections of triamcinolone acetonide as treatment of intraocular neovascular or oedematous diseases. Methods: The prospective consecutive non-comparative...

A multicentre randomised double masked clinical trial of a new formulation of topical cysteamine for the treatment of corneal cystine cystals in cystinosis. (Scientific Correspondence).
January 1, 2003... Aim: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a new topical cysteamine formulation, stable at room temperature, for the treatment of corneal cystine crystals in cystinosis. Methods: 20 study subjects were enrolled in the safety study and 16...

Quantitative analysis of axonal loss in band atrophy of the optic nerve using scanning laser polarimetry. (Scientific Correspondence).
January 1, 2003... Aims: To measure axonal loss in patients with band atrophy from optic chiasm compression using scanning laser polarimetry (GDx, Laser Diagnostic Technologies, Inc, San Diego, CA, USA) and to evaluate the ability of this instrument to identify...

Orbital myositis in scleritis. (Scientific Correspondence).
January 1, 2003... Aims: To investigate the association between scleritis and myositis. Methods: Retrospective, non-comparative case series. Records and ultrasonograms were examined of 132 patients, with a diagnosis of episcleritis or scleritis, who...

Mechanical endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy with mucosal flaps. (Scientific Correspondence).
January 1, 2003... Aims: To describe and assess the efficacy of mechanical endanasal dacryocystorhinostomy (MENDCR). This is a new technique that involves creation of a large rhinostomy and mucosal flaps. The study involved a prospective non-randomised...

Optic disc morphology of patients with OPA1 autosomal dominant optic atrophy. (Clinical Science).
January 1, 2003... Background/aims: Patients with autosomal dominant optic atrophy (ADOA) are genetically heterogeneous, but all have disc pallor. A degree of cupping in ADOA can make the distinction from normal tension glaucoma (NTG) clinically difficult. This...

Botulinum toxin A treatment in patients suffering from blepharospasm and dry eye. (Clinical Science).
January 1, 2003... Background: Many patients with essential blepharospasm also show dry eye signs and symptoms. Botulinum toxin A is an effective treatment for reducing spasms in these patients. In this investigation, the effect of botulinum toxin A injections...

A randomised, double masked, multicentre clinical trial comparing bimatoprost and timolol for the treatment of glaucoma and ocular hypertension. (Clinical Science).
January 1, 2003... Aim: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of bimatoprost 0.03% once daily or twice daily compared with timolol 0.5% twice daily in patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Methods: Multicentre, double masked, randomised, parallel...

Clinical experience of e-PTFE membrane implant surgery for refractory glaucoma. (Clinical Science).(expanded polytetrafluoroethylene )
January 1, 2003... Aims: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of membrane tube implant made of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (e-PTFE, Gore-Tex) membrane and silicone tube in treating refractory glaucoma. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed...

Indocyanine green assisted retinal internal limiting membrane removal in stage 3 or 4 macular hole surgey. (Clinical Science).
January 1, 2003... Aims: To determine surgical outcome in primary idiopathic stage 3 or 4 macular holes with indocyanine green (ICG) assisted retinal internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling. Methods: A prospective, consecutive, interventional case series...

A matched study of primary scleral buckle placement during repair of posterior segment open globe injuries. (Clinical Science).
January 1, 2003... Aims: To compare the visual and anatomical outcomes of patients who underwent primary scleral buckle (SB) placement during posterior segment open globe repair with matched control patients who did not undergo primary SB placement. ...

Polymerase chain reaction analysis of aqueous humour samples in necrotising retinitis. (Clinical Science).
January 1, 2003... Aim: To evaluate the diagnostic value of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) performed on aqueous humour for the detection of viral DNA in patients with necrotising herpetic retinitis. Methods: The clinical features and laboratory results of...

Photodynamic therapy using verteporfin in circumscribed choroidal haemangioma. (Clinical Science).
January 1, 2003... Aim: To investigate the safety and efficacy of photodynamic therapy with verteporfin in patients with choroidal haemangioma. Methods: A non-randomised, prospective clinical investigation of 19 patients with symptomatic circumscribed...

Thermochemotherapy in hereditary retinoblastoma. (Clinical Science).
January 1, 2003... Background/aim: The combination of chemotherapy and transpupillary thermotherapy, thermochemotherapy (TCT) has become an established part of the treatment plan in advanced retinoblastoma. The aim of this study was to identify safe...

Epilepsy patients treated with vigabatrin exhibit reduced ocular blood flow. (Clinical Science).
January 1, 2003... Background/aim: Reduced cerebral blood flow and decreased glucose metabolism have been identified in epilepsy patients receiving vigabatrin. It is likely that such a change may extend to the eye and may be linked to previously reported...

Pericyte recruitment in human corneal angiogenesis: an ultrastructural study with clinicopathological correlation. (Laboratory Science).
January 1, 2003... Background/aim: During angiogenesis--that is, the outgrowth of new from pre-existing blood vessels, new capillaries undergo a period of "fine tuning" when vascular endothelial cells become apoptotic if sufficient supply of angiogenic factors...

Measurement error of visual field tests in glaucoma. (Laboratory Science).
January 1, 2003... Aim: Psychophysical strategies designed for clinical visual field testing produce rapid estimates of threshold with relatively few stimulus presentations and so represent a trade-off between test quality and efficiency. The aim of this study...

Why HID headlights bother older drivers. (Perspective).
January 1, 2003... Driving requires effective coordination of visual, motor, and cognitive skills. Visual skills are pushed to their limit at night by decreased illumination and by disabling glare from oncoming headlights. High intensity discharge (HID)...

Letters.
January 1, 2003... If you have a burning desire to respond to a paper published in the BJO, why not make use of our "rapid response" option? Log on to our website (www.bjophthalmol.com), find the paper that interests you, and send your response via email by...

Mailbox.
January 1, 2003... Assessment of endothelium from donor corneas We read with interest an article by Meier et al. (1) No doubt, this is an exciting issue on donor tissue harvesting and is more meaningful for the developing countries, where there is paucity...

From the library.
January 1, 2003... "I met Ted Hughes in London for the last time on Thursday, 17 September 1998. He had said on the phone that he would be at the Connaught Hotel in London at 3:00, and there he was, sitting on the left-hand corner of the lounge on the left of...